(copyright)Copyright. 2000. Dr. Ramon Guerrero. All of the material in this patent application is subject to copyright protection under the copyright laws of the United States and of other countries. As of the first effective filing date of the present application, this material is protected as unpublished material.
However, permission to copy this material is hereby granted to the extent that the owner of the copyright rights has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by any one of the patent document or patent disclosure, as it appears in the United States Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.
The present invention generally relates to the medical devices, particularly anesthesiology, critical care and anesthesia devices used to administer anesthesia medications to patients, prior to surgery and during surgery.
The intravenous administration of medicines by medical personnel, such as anesthetic agents by anesthesiologist, is a complex procedure. Unfortunately, this procedure is further complicated by current instrumentation and medical devices used to administer these medicines, particularly everyday syringes with the ever-dangerous needle. For example, as a point of review, multiple anesthesia medications are currently administered closely after one another, which requires the careful and rapid use of multiple syringes containing different drugs, namely (i) a hypnotic agent; (ii) a muscle relaxant; and (iii) a narcotic. These multiple syringes are typically used to transfer the medication into an intravenous port, one at a time, preferably in rapid succession to minimize the patient""s pain and, in some cases, to expedite the patient""s drowsiness or unconsciousness. Consequently, an anesthesiologist typically must rapidly perform the following steps: (i) take one syringe; (ii) insert it into an intravenous catheter; (iii) press down on the syringe to transfer the medicine into the intravenous catheter into the patient; (iv) remove the syringe; (v) place it somewhere in the patient""s hospital room, such as on the patient""s bed; (vi) take a second syringe and repeat the steps; and, then, (vii) take a third syringe and repeat steps (i) through (v). Some doctors actually use duct tape to tape the syringe and intravenous catheter together and/or to tape the syringe to the patient""s bed.
The current approach described above has a number of drawbacks. For instance, it does not easily allow the dosage to be easily controlled, as needed, from patient to patient, because of the difficulties in reinserting the syringe into the intravenous catheter, as the syringe may become contaminated laying on the patient""s bed or may actually be knocked to the floor, such as in an emergency operation. Similarly, the rapid insertion and removal of syringes are problematic, because the syringes may be accidentally stuck into the patient, doctor, or nurse, which is especially dangerous, as it dramatically increases the transmission of certain diseases or viruses, such as the AIDS virus or Hepatitus C. In fact, with nearly six million healthcare professionals currently in practice, more than one million percutaneous injuries are reported annually in the healthcare setting, which translates to approximately one in six professional annually. xe2x80x9cNew Glove to Help Protect Healthcare Workers from Deadly Diseases,xe2x80x9d Dallas-Ft. Worth Heathcare Journal (November 1999; Volume 4, Number 2). Fearing such injuries, some health care professionals routinely miss work, postpone childbearing, and/or otherwise alter their personal lifestyles. In addition, if stuck with a needle, these health care professionals may be forced to take powerful drugs that cause severe side effects Likewise, speed is important, because the timing and transmission of many of these medicines is important to avoid calamities, such as aspiration pneumonia (e.g., when the patient vomits in his mask). Also, with the concern over the organization and coordination of the multiple syringes, the doctor""s attention may be distracted from the patient and the administration of medications at a critical time. Finally, since multiple syringes are generally needed to induce unconsciousness, the anesthesiologist""s hands are unnecessarily used to hold a syringe, which makes the anesthesiologist less efficient.
An infusion apparatus comprises a plurality of ports (e.g., three syringe ports), a plurality of one-way directional valves (e.g., three), and, in certain embodiments, a joint. Each port is adapted to receive and secure a syringe to allow for the flow of liquid medication through the syringe into the port. Each one-way directional or unidirectional valve is in fluid communication with a respective port of the plurality of ports to enable the liquid to flow away from the port and into and through the respective one-way directional or unidirectional valve. Each port is typically in fluid communication with each one-way directional or unidirectional valve via intravenous tubing, but the one-way directional or unidirectional valve may be directly coupled to the port. If the joint is used, the joint has a plurality of inputs to receive the flow from the plurality of one-way directional valves or unidirectional valve. The inputs of the joint are in fluid communication with each individual port of the plurality of ports. The joint also has an output. Alternatively, the outputs from the ports can be coupled to multiple intravenous ports with unidirectional valves or the outputs of the unidirectional valves can be coupled to corresponding intravenous ports.
The ports are also preferably equipped to handle either needleless or needle bearing syringes. In addition, a locking apparatus secured to the joint may be used to secure the joint to an intravenous tubing port, which is, in turn, secured to intravenous tubing, and extends to the patient and actually enters the patient via a catheter inserted into the patient, e.g., the patient""s arm.
Also, preferred embodiments are also comprised of a transparent cartridge to secure the plurality of ports, the unidirectional valves, and the joint together. The cartridge may be comprised of a plastic material. A syringe holder may also be used to hold and secure the syringes. The syringe holder may be attached to the cartridge or otherwise combined with the cartridge to form a single unit. Alternatively, the syringe holder may be used to hold and secure the syringes, which are, in turn, directly coupled with corresponding intravenous ports. A securing apparatus may also be used to secure the infusion apparatus in place. The infusion apparatus is preferably used to transfer liquid medicines from a syringe into a patient or via a continuous drip.
Preferred embodiments provide a number of advantages, important functions and key features. In particular, preferred embodiments enable the coordinated and simultaneous entry of certain drugs and medicines, such as drugs commonly used by anesthesiologists, namely (i) a hypnotic agent; (ii) muscle relaxant; and (iii) a narcotic. Preferred embodiments also secure the multiple syringes in a proper and stable position, so that the syringes do not become contaminated and do not harm the patient and/or other medical personnel. Preferred embodiments increase the speed of the administration of the medicines and allow for the dosages to be closely monitored and controlled. As stated above, this is especially important in applications concerning anesthesia medicines, as if the administration is not properly controlled, the patient can suffer aspiration pneumonia, in which the patient vomits in his mask. In these instances, the faster the medicines are administered, the better. Preferred embodiments increase the speed at which anesthesia medicines can be administered. Preferred embodiments are also equipped with a one way directional valve to prevent the contamination or back flow of medicine from one syringe into another syringe. And, in certain instances, although typically not with anesthesia drugs, drugs may interact with one another, and the preferred embodiment enables the drugs to be mixed together to some extent, prior to the entry into the patient. Also, preferred embodiments also use needless attachments and locks to secure the preferred embodiment to the syringe to the intravenous tubing in a safe manner. Finally, preferred embodiments are easily retrofitted into existing intravenous ports and intravenous tubing. Additional advantages will be evident after reviewing the description and drawings.